UCF Personal Statement

I have lived in two different worlds. The duality of the immigrant experience is a battle that every first-generation child has to wage. As I conquered my language barrier, a whole new world full of traditions and customs opened up. Seeking acceptance from my peers, it was hard not to adopt their culture and ignore my own in the process. However, abandonment was not an option in a family with a strong cultural identity. While there was nothing wrong with either culture, finding middle ground proved to be an ongoing journey.

Being a Cuban immigrant has provided me with a unique bicultural perspective that has become my support system in the United States. For the first eleven years of my life, my culture was composed of music and dancing. In every street corner of my hometown, there was a group of seniors playing domino and close by, their grandchildren dancing to the Salsa music being played on the radio to pass the time. The hardships created by the communist regime are overshadowed by memories of my mother teaching me how to sew and by my paternal grandmother teaching me how to enjoy a strong Cuban coffee.

I am interested in Howard University because it is an HBCU that encompass the themes of cultural diversity and education. Your commitment to scholars ensures me that at your school I will be right at home. Since I intend on on going down a medical path, I know that Howard University will provide me with best resources to follow my dreams. As a child I was always interested in the worlds around me and how things worked. As a result I participated in a Summer Enrichment Program located at Indiana University in Bloomington. There I explored all of the different STEM fields. From the experience I have developed a love for biology and learning how small things affect larger things in the world around me. The next summer I participated in the Summer Science Research

Being a child of immigrant parents is not easy. You are constantly living in the fear that one day you’ll wake up and you parents won’t be there with you anymore. Specially now that we have a new president, things are getting more challenging. But don’t get me wrong, I live a happy life. I am proud to call myself a Latina. Being a child of immigrant parents has taught me so much. For example, being able to work hard for what you want. At school, I always strive to get A’s. My parent’s have taught me to never settle for anything less than a B. They know that in order for me to go to college and be successful, I not only have to get good grades but work hard to get there. I love a good challenge. Sometimes it’s not about the obstacles you face,

One of the toughest adjustments, having been born to Mexican parents, is migrating to an unknown country where traditions and languages differ from one 's own. Though many pursue an education and strive for a better life, the purpose behind an immigrant, like myself, differs from the typical American. Immigrants strive for a life that was once impossible, going to school is not only to attain an education, but to better prove that we can also become successful regardless of our traditions and skin color. I lived in a country for over fifteen years, fearing deportation, not only losing a home, but potentially saying goodbye to a bright future. Although many feel empathy for Mexican-Americans, it is undeniably difficult to truly comprehend the immense trauma children and even adults undergo  upon experiencing racism and prejudice. Attending a

My parents are both immigrants from Haiti. I was born in America. Growing up, my parents spoke Creole, the national language of Haiti, and English at home. As I got older my resistence to speak their native tongue began to grow. I don’t know why I began to reject the language as my own. Maybe it was because kids with immigrant parents, especially Haitian kids, used to get a lot of flak from the other kids at school. Maybe it was because i couldn’t fully relate to the kids who came from Haiti and spoke to me in the language about things in the country I knew nothing about. Maybe it was because of the inevitable switch, back and forth from Creole to English, due to my lack of the proper vocabulary to speak fluently. Maybe, it was even because

Many people come across roadblocks through their journey of life. I know I've had my fair share of them. The biggest bump in my academic life was changing it completely upside down.

Throughout high school I have participated in many different activities and programs, but one of the opportunities I was given I will carry with me forever. As a junior at River Valley I participated in the Marion General Teen Volunteer Program. After interviewing and being placed in the physical therapy unit I took the opportunity to branch out into other areas of the hospital. I soon made my way to the labor and delivery floor where everyday a miracle happened. My duties while volunteering included assisting the nurses during hearing checks, changing diapers, and rocking crying infants in special care. During this time I realized that nursing is what I was meant to do. I found my passion as a teen volunteer.

Throughout my four years of high school, I have kept myself occupied by participating in three student organizations that has developed me into a helpful and prestigious individual. My participation in the Alexander High School UIL Academic team taught me the lesson of hard work pays off. I took the opportunity to join my high school's UIL current events and social studies team which allowed me to compete against others based on my knowledge of the topic. By competing, UIL has educated me that in order to succeed, you must be willing to make sacrifices and dedicate your time towards studying in order to earn a medal or a ribbon. Thankfully, I got to place in many invitational events. In addition to working hard, I had the chance to create close friendships with UIL participants and coaches.

Statistics show that over 11.5 million immigrants migrate to The United States in search of a better life for themselves and their children. Yet, throughout the course of the years, a negative stigma has been associated with the arrival of immigrants in The United States. They have been discriminated against and have been labeled with abasing words. However, the majority of people fail to realize that the individuals who risked their lives coming here, the ones who left their family and friends behind are the most hard-working and persistent people I have come to know because these individuals are my parents. My parents left El Salvador and immigrated to a new country in hopes of a better academic future for me. Sadly, they were not granted

It is through this knowledge that I have learned to overcome discrimination and the uncertainty of living in the shadows. I experience rejection and discrimination throughout the formative years when my character was being built, but that allowed me to become the person I am today. No more than a year ago, I thought all my hard work was in vain. My visa was about to expire and immigration denied me a renewal of my student visa due to my family’s low income level. Without any legal documentation stating I could be in this country, I was afraid I would not be able to continue my education or obtain a job in my desired field. In addition to this, I was constantly denied eligibility for scholarships due to my immigration status, and although I was given many opportunities to represent my school at national conventions, I was unable to attend for the same reason. Fortunately, I suddenly came to the realization that only obstacle preventing me from embarking on these scholastic and career opportunities was myself. It was then that I sought help and with the assistance of a few selfless individuals who took the time to walk me through the process, I

As a child of immigrant parents, my formative years in elementary and middle school were shaped by two important factors: the environment in which I lived and my background. My parents worked hard to settle into a new life in a foreign country to provide better opportunities for our family. This meant that we had to be flexible about where we lived due to relocating for jobs, and fluid about our ideas of culture. I recall the daunting nature of moving to a new city, twice, as a child. The prospect of leaving everything that was familiar to me and forming new friendships in an unfamiliar environment was a challenge. Through each of these moves however, I met people from differing backgrounds and learned to cross cultural barriers. I became accustomed to

The heart of New York City is New York University. By joining the network of NYU, I will be able to study at an institution that has a long tradition of academic excellence among private universities in the United States. Additionally, I will be able to be part of an internationally recognized learning network with locations all across the globe. It would be a pleasure to study at a globally recognized university. A friend of mine who is a recent graduate from NYU College of Nursing has praised the program and conveyed to me a very positive experience. The curriculum allows students a hands-on medical approach in the Clinical Simulation Learning Center for those that are enrolled at NYU. The simulation lab has high technology manikins that resemble a real patient. These

Ten years ago, I immigrated to the United States and ever since I have been an undocumented immigrant. Due to my legal status in the United States, I felt like I was restricted from certain situations and possessions and would never be able to succeed. I was not living the normal life of a seven-year-old. Instead, I had to learn to cope and adapt to a whole new culture. Even though the drastic change at such a young age was a challenge, it has shaped who I am today.

Going into this interview project I was curious to learn more about the experiences that immigrants had to go through. My interviewee, Mario, is an 18 year old immigrant that migrated to America from Bolivia at the age of 10. I have known Mario since middle school and we’ve been friends since then. We have grown up around the same area too and now we both attend the University of Maryland. Being a 1.5 generation immigrant myself, I was interested to see if we shared similar experiences growing up in America especially since we’ve grown up around the same area. My interview with Mario has given me deeper understanding of the difficulties and challenges immigrants have to go through in their first few years in America. Through Mario’s experiences,